Although the Wisconsin Clearinghouse did not open its doors until 1975, the need for the organization had been identified much earlier. A governor's task force on drug abuse had recommended creation of a centralized source of drug abuse information. "A large number of so-called 'drug education materials' were being produced," says Nancy Kaufman, then a staffer at the new Bureau of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse in the state Department of Health and Social Services, "but many of them contained misinformation or failed to reflect the needs of Wisconsin. We conceptualized the Wisconsin Clearinghouse as a not-for-profit organization that would collect and distribute accurate, low-cost information to the people of Wisconsin."

Start-up for the Wisconsin Clearinghouse was funded by federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment block grant dollars, an advisory board was formed, and Richard A. Yoast, Ph.D., was hired as Executive Director. With a staff of three and a minimal annual budget, the fledgling organization took up residence on the third floor of a house at 420 North Lake Street, near the University of Wisconsin campus and upstairs from the Campus Assistance Center and Drug Information Center. During this time the Wisconsin Clearinghouse was loosely affiliated with the Dean of Students office.

From the beginning, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse was designed with three purposes: It would collect and distribute accurate information free of charge to Wisconsin residents; it would develop its own materials to meet gaps in what was available; and it would serve as a bridge between research and practice in the field of prevention. Its "customers" would be the people of Wisconsin and elsewhere, but more specifically the parents, educators, human services professionals and others working to prevent substance abuse among young people.

"The Wisconsin Clearinghouse was a model organization from the beginning," Yoast recalls. "Only one other state, Pennsylvania, had a similar entity. I started off with visits to Pennsylvania and to the national clearinghouse. I also traveled extensively throughout Wisconsin, interviewing people to learn what their needs were." Most expressed the need for accurate information on drug use, and that was the program focus the Wisconsin Clearinghouse pursued.

During the 1970s, prevention professionals were relying on information-based strategies. Experimentation with drugs by young people was almost expected; the goal of prevention services was to provide accurate, science-based information to help people make wise choices about drug use, thus reducing the potential harm to themselves. Initially, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse focused on marijuana, LSD and heroin abuse. Alcohol abuse prevention was added to its mission during its second year of operation.

As the 1970s progressed, the information-based strategies were proving insufficient. Prevention professionals began to explore affective education (building self-esteem to eliminate the need for substance abuse) and activity-based strategies (helping young people develop interests that would divert them from using alcohol or other drugs).

Meanwhile the Wisconsin Clearinghouse was building its reputation as an honest broker of accurate information on substance abuse. In 1976 the agency joined the federal information network and soon after established a nationally acclaimed public awareness network. Working in cooperation with Wisconsin Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse WAODA, the network distributed press announcements to promote the release of new information, and to support federal prevention campaigns.

Nineteen seventy-seven marked the first venture by the Wisconsin Clearinghouse into product sales. Only a handful of items were offered for sale, at prices established only to recover production costs, but the role of the Wisconsin Clearing-house as a publishing house in its own right had begun.

In 1979 the Wisconsin Clearinghouse expanded its services to include a subscription series, which published reviews of films and print materials dealing with substance abuse and other social problems. This "Critiques" series, which continued through 1983, brought the Wisconsin Clearinghouse national attention, particularly for its refusal to endorse materials lacking a basis in science. Steering a steady course during the anti-drug hysteria of the late 1970s helped solidify the reputation of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse as a reliable information provider of high integrity.

In 1980, squeezed by its own expansion and that of its companion organizations, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse became affiliated with University Hospitals and moved to a hospital field office located at 1954 East Washington Avenue. At about this time, the board and staff of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse reached an important decision: Although there were many opportunities to expand its mission into intervention and substance abuse treatment, the agency would retain its narrow focus on prevention. Many professionals familiar with the Wisconsin Clearinghouse attribute its longevity in large part to this early decision.

During the early 1980s, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse began to experience budget difficulties. "It is important to understand," present-day executive director Carol Lobes points out, "that the Wisconsin Clearinghouse, although located within the University of Wisconsin, has never been funded in any way by the UW. We actually pay the university for services such as payroll by building an indirect cost line into our contract budgets." And, adds former director Yoast, the amount of the original block grant awarded to the Wisconsin Clearinghouse did not increase over time. "It was a mixed blessing," he says. "On the one hand, we couldn't keep up with inflation, but on the other hand we were forced to be creative in seeking new sources of funding."

The Wisconsin Clearinghouse board responded to the budget crunch of the early 1980s by turning to the publication sales arm of the agency. The marketing strategy was refined to focus even more on customer needs. A number of publications were eliminated, others were modified and targeting techniques were improved. The result was a leaner but more relevant and more profitable sales program, which allowed the Wisconsin Clearinghouse to expand even as similar agencies in other states were contracting.

In 1985 space constraints at the University Hospital facility necessitated a move for the Wisconsin Clearinghouse once again. At the urging of then-Dean of Students, Paul Ginsburg, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse returned to its affiliation with the Dean of Students office. Becoming realigned with that office, which was strongly oriented toward service to students, was really a positive step for the Wisconsin Clearinghouse according to Yoast. Campus space was at a premium, however, and the Wisconsin Clearinghouse settled into rented space at 1245 East. Washington Avenue.

The middle and late 1980s were a time of growth in the prevention field. A great deal of federal money was flowing into the "War on Drugs," and the Wisconsin Clearinghouse was successful in securing grants for several important new projects.

First of these was the Children At Risk Project, a four-year effort beginning in 1987. The project first synthesized the research on children at risk for abusing alcohol and other drugs, then published the results in a series of reports that clarified the relationship of risk factors such as delinquency and child abuse to substance abuse among young people. Executive Director Yoast , Douglas White, M.S., and Kevin McIntyre, M.S.W. staffed the Children At Risk Project, which many believe marked a turning point for the prevention field. "Our series brought the field as a whole to focus on science for the first time," says Yoast. Several of those interviewed pointed to one project publication, Resilience Among High Risk Youth, as pivotal. "The field was discovering," says Douglas White, "that in addition to understanding risk factors, it was important to understand another set of protective factors that allowed some young people to survive, and even thrive, under stress. The Wisconsin Clearinghouse was the first to link the research on resiliency to substance abuse and translate it into terms that people in the field could actually use."

Another multi-year grant funded the Youth in High Risk Environments Program, which also began during the late 1980s. Grant funds allowed the Wisconsin Clearinghouse to offer training and technical assistance services to five substance abuse prevention projects in Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, Beloit and Kenosha. This effort coincided with a new awareness in the field that the dynamics of substance abuse varied by culture, and that prevention needed to be approached from a multicultural perspective.

Nineteen eighty-eight was a watershed year for the Wisconsin Clearinghouse. A large grant under the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act funded the creation of the Prevention Resource Center (PRC), which encompassed the Wisconsin Clearinghouse's free materials distribution function as well as the library, research and outreach services. With its funds earmarked exclusively for services to Wisconsin residents, the PRC solidified the role of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse as a consultant and technical assistance resource for community organizations across the state, continuing and building on the work begun by the Youth in High Risk Environments program. The PRC funding also allowed the Wisconsin Clearinghouse to quickly increase its volume of materials distribution. A librarian was hired, the materials collection was enlarged and electronic information retrieval systems were implemented. Outreach systems were expanded, and staff began to collaborate more effectively with other agencies to provide hands-on training and technical assistance to schools, community organizations and human services providers around the state.

The publication sales arm of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse also flourished during the late 1980s, with publication sales volume topping the $300,000 mark in 1987. "The Wisconsin Clearinghouse became one of the few national sources of well-researched, well-written and well-designed materials," says Rick Brooks, who joined the staff in 1989. "Despite its small size and modest facilities, the quality and professionalism of its publications gave it a larger-than-life persona."

In 1989 the Wisconsin Clearinghouse relocated to rented quarters at 315 North Henry Street. The new location, although not on campus, brought the agency to within blocks of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the UW Extension and state government offices. Not long after the move, during 1991-92, Wisconsin Clearinghouse staff embarked on a series of quality improvement courses. The field of prevention was changing, and the staff wanted to ensure that the Wisconsin Clearinghouse would retain its reputation as a leader and innovator. One important aspect of the quality improvement process was to document the use and effectiveness of agency publications. "We had always known that a brochure alone couldn't change behavior," says Brooks. "Our challenge was to make sure that our materials would be in the right places, and contain the right messages, to reach people who were motivated to make changes in their lives." Another critical challenge in the field, according to Yoast, was not to succumb to "the fad of the moment," but to continue building new prevention strategies on the existing knowledge base. Thus, the information-based strategies of the 1970s and the risk-based strategies of the late 1980s were not abandoned, but remained important tools in the prevention repertoire.

The 1992 release of "Mind-altering Drugs: A Guide to the History, Uses and Effects of Psychoactive Drugs" demonstrated the continuing commitment of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse to accurate, science-based information in the field of prevention. The book, also available as a series of brochures, was designed to provide technical information on the short and long-terms effects of psychoactive drugs, and on usage patterns among diverse sectors of society. It has proved especially helpful to parents and teachers seeking to understand the relative dangers of the substances young people might choose to experiment with or abuse.

In 1992 Rick Yoast resigned as executive director of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse. In 1993, following a lengthy recruitment process, Carol Lobes assumed the executive director post. Lobes came to the Wisconsin Clearinghouse after four years as director of the Dane County Human Services depart-ment. "Managing a human services system means dealing with damage that's been done," she says. "The Wisconsin Clearinghouse offered me a chance to work on the front end to prevent some of that damage from occurring."

Soon after Lobes arrived, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse went through yet another change in affiliation. In 1991, then Chancellor Donna Shalala had appointed a Task Force on Student Health Care for UW-Madison. Composed of faculty, staff and students, the task force had been charged with making recommendations on how health and counseling services could best meet the needs of UW students for the next ten to twenty years. When the task force report was published in 1992, it overwhelmingly recommended the integration of all health-related student services into University Health Services, under the Dean of Students office. In keeping with this recommended structure, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse relocated to 1552 University Avenue, its present location, where it shares space with the clinical services arm of UHS.

"I had been thinking for a long time that integration was the way to go," says Dean of Students Mary Rouse. "I view combining clinical services, counseling services and prevention services under the same umbrella as one of my key accomplishments in this position." A follow-up report on the work of the original task force supports Rouse's assertion, pointing to "significant improvement in coordination of the health services available to students." In 1996 University Health Services revised its mission statement to include "producing and disseminating resources that promote healthy people, families, and communities." This addition acknowledges the contribution the Wisconsin Clearinghouse has made to the integrated health services division.

Becoming a part of University Health Services and moving onto the UW campus had a positive, energizing effect on the Wisconsin Clearinghouse as well. Administrative cost savings made possible by the physical move meant more money for program efforts. Ready access to a student audience meant improved "test marketing" of Wisconsin Clearinghouse materials and strategies. Increased contact with health educators, physicians and clinicians meant a more stimulating atmosphere for the Wisconsin Clearinghouse staff. Richard P. Keeling, M.D., director of University Health Services, reports being "delighted" by his agency's relationship with the Wisconsin Clearinghouse. "The Wisconsin Clearing-house does the most important work to be done in health care," he says. "I have administrative responsibility for the agency, but beyond that I'm deeply invested in its work."

Under Lobes the work of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse has taken new directions. She has encouraged the use of strength-based strategies, which build on the Children at Risk series and resiliency theory by connecting directly to local-level efforts and by emphasizing the relationship between the roots of substance abuse and the roots of other social problems such as violence and teen pregnancy. In 1997, the organization modified its name to Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources to further emphasize the specific nature of its work.

For the Prevention Resource Center, the new direction has meant focusing the monthly newsletter, Prevention Outlook, on programs that are working on the local level. "We find that our newsletter is now at the top of people's list of things to read," says Lobes. "It's more meaningful to them." The library has also changed, incorporating more electronic technologies and assisting clients with Internet searches. Perhaps most important, PRC outreach staff members have become more active in local communities, and they are developing new model approaches to prevention. Most successful of these has been a program entitled "Family and Community Town Suppers" (FACTS) where community members of all ages gather to share a meal and discuss a current issue of interest to them. More than 30 FACTS have been held within Wisconsin, with average attendance of 120 people.

The publication sales arm of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse is branching out as well. Building on new research linking community service and education (service-learning) to prevention, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse is in process of developing publications designed to show young people the interdependence between community service and how their communities contribute to them. "Connecting young people to the community in this way is clearly a proactive prevention strategy," says Lobes, "and the Wisconsin Clearinghouse is making this connection with unique and original approaches." Another Wisconsin Clearinghouse product, College, Alcohol and Choices: An Essential Conversation for Parents and Students, has been featured in USA Today. Written by David Burns, a nationally known health educator, the workbook helps parents and their college-bound children conduct a meaningful dialogue to prepare the students for the kinds of alcohol-related situations they will encounter on campus.

Keeling and Lobes are also working to make the Wisconsin Clearinghouse more visible, both on campus and at the national level. The Wisconsin Clearinghouse benefits from the public relations efforts of University Health Services. "We've chosen to continue to build community awareness within the state through program underwriting of public television productions such as the Bill Moyers's on Addiction: Close to Home series on addiction and on statewide program sponsorship of public radio programs," Lobes says. These efforts at building visibility with a broader audience are paying off. Former executive director Rich Yoast, now director of the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse at the American Medical Association, reports that he frequently encounters people around the country who are familiar with the work of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse.

The Wisconsin Clearinghouse is also playing a role in a major project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and designed to reduce high-risk drinking on college campuses. The UW is one of six campuses in the country chosen to participate, and Wisconsin Clearinghouse director Lobes is project director. Nancy Kaufman, now Vice President of the RWJ foundation, reports that the openness of the UW administration to confronting binge drinking head-on was a factor in its selection for the $75 million grant. "The groundwork done by the Wisconsin Clearinghouse has made the UW more accessible," she says.

In the field of prevention, as in all fields, the knowledge base, learning styles and technologies are rapidly changing and becoming more sophisticated. What should be the role of the Wisconsin Clearinghouse in this environment?

"As prevention becomes a more systemic effort, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse is poised to help," says Lobes. "We are administratively lean, with a diversified funding base; we are focused on prevention; and we have acquired a special ability to connect with those who are developing effective prevention strategies." To former staff member and current advisory board member Rick Brooks, now director of the UW Health Promotion Project on People with Developmental Disabilities, the Wisconsin Clearinghouse is essential to the field of prevention. "The Wisconsin Clearinghouse has never been a purveyor of 'prevention by the pound,'" he says. "Its special expertise is the synthesis of science with the wisdom of experience." Most prevention professionals agree that the Wisconsin Clearinghouse will endure if it continues its reputation for technical accuracy, high quality and responsiveness.

University Health Services director Keeling emphasizes that the Wisconsin Clearinghouse has always been more than an information provider; it has always dealt in materials that have proven to be accurate and in strategies that have proven to be effective. "The key question for me is 'What does the Wisconsin Clearinghouse clear?' he asks. "The answer used to be 'accurate, science-based prevention information.' The answer now is that the Wisconsin Clearinghouse clears strategies that work. Its role in the future will be to serve among the country's definitive sources of effective prevention strategies."